3D Planning for Mass Events: The Case of the Tamborrada

Published on March 11, 2026 | Translated from Spanish

The announcement of the Alicante 2026 Tamborrada, the starting gun for Holy Week, poses a logistical and scenic challenge. Events of this magnitude, which bring together thousands of drummers and spectators, require meticulous planning. Scenography and 3D show tools emerge as key solutions to visualize, optimize, and enrich this traditional celebration, fusing heritage and technology to create safer, smoother, and more impactful experiences.

Aerial 3D view of the city with the Tamborrada route highlighted and real-time simulated crowd areas.

Virtual simulation and ephemeral design: practical applications 🎪

3D technology allows creating a digital twin of the route and main spaces of the Tamborrada. With specialized software, crowd flows can be simulated, identifying critical congestion points and optimizing the deployment of security and services. Additionally, it facilitates the design and preview of ephemeral scenarios, stands, and lighting and sound systems, ensuring their aesthetic and functional integration into the urban environment. Monumental mapping can even be projected onto facades, adding a modern visual narrative layer to the tradition.

Beyond logistics: immersive promotion 📱

3D is not only for internal planning. Virtual models of the event can serve as the basis for immersive virtual or augmented reality experiences, allowing potential visitors to experience a preview from anywhere. This innovative tourism promotion strategy amplifies the event's reach, attracts a new audience, and digitally documents the festive heritage, ensuring its preservation and dissemination for future generations.

How can 3D modeling and simulation be used to plan and optimize the logistics, security, and visual experience of a massive event like the Tamborrada, managing everything from the flow of thousands of participants to the integration of ephemeral scenography into the urban environment?

(P.S.: designing a 3D stage is easy, the tricky part is making sure the musicians don't fall off it)